Ghana glitters in the eyes of international community - Cecilia Dapaah

The Minister for Sanitation and Water Resources, Cecilia Abena Dapaah says the world is focusing its macroeconomic interest towards Ghana as a limelight in the view of its national and international stakeholders.

This feat, she noted, is as a result of flagship policies being rolled out by the NPP government upon assumption of office.

Madam Dapaah was delivering a keynote address at the opening of the 5th National Policy Summit at Western Best Hotel, Takoradi in the Western Region.

The two-day event which was on the theme, "Improving Performance in State-owned Enterprises and Agencies", was being organized by the Ministry of Information and jointly sponsored by the Universal Merchant Bank (UMB).

It was attended by policy think-tanks, politicians, academia, NGOs, traditional rulers, school children, the media, industry players, business executives, security agencies and a cross-section of the general public.

The summit afforded the Information Ministry to solicit feedback from the elite society through high level engagement with MDAs, quasi-governmental and the private sector to allow the public ascertain the level of attainment of government's delivery of its promises, critique government on-going and envisioned programmes as well as constructive suggestions to ensure outcomes of such programmes.

Madam Dapaah noted that in time past, State-owned enterprises have not lived up to expectation. As a result, the NPP government had decided to bring on board investors in the management of SOEs.

The summit therefore brought eight State-owned enterprises namely the GNPC, Accra Digital Center, State Housing Corporation (SHC), Ghana Free Zones Board (GFZB), MASLOC, Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), National Entrepreneurship Plan (NEIP), and Committee on Illegal Mining.

The Minister said GNPC has managed proceeds from the oil-find judiciously making Ghana a conflict-free zone.

On digitization of processes, she said it is the intention of government to transform organizations, saving government's purse and improving citizens' quality of life with special reference to the launching and implementation of the DVLA and the Registrar general's Department.

Madam Dapaah said the Accra Digital Center would be enagaged in a discussion to throw more light on its activities, aims and objectives at the Ghana Innovation Hub to deepen public understanding in its e-Transform Ghana Project to support digital innovation and entrepreneurship in the country.

She said the State Housing Corporation will liaise with SSNIT to bridge the housing deficit in the country and make provision for affordable housing.

The Minister bemoaned that among the 100 companies in Africa, Ghana had no representation. However, the Free Zones Board would allay the fears and circumvent the situation.

Madam Dapaah said a major overhauling of the banking sector and microfinance institutions have engaged government's attention to sanitize the financial sector. To this end, MASLOC will live up to its core mandate of giving loans to people in micro, small and medium enterprises sector, including women, physically challenged and the youth.

The Food and Drugs Authority will also ensure that standardized food and drugs are brought into the country.

The Minster said the summit will address the galamsey menace once and for all as it enters into a new regime where small-scale miners are being trained to acquire operational licenses to avert pollution of river bodies degradation of natural resources among others.

On his part, Western Regional Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie said government had rolled out flagship policies such as planting for food and jobs, one District, One Factory to better the living conditions of Ghanaians.

He charged state-owned enterprises to play a pivotal role in government's programme for accelerated economic development.

The Executive Director of State-owned Enterprise, Mr. Stephen Asamoah Boateng lauded the efforts of the Ministry of Information for the role to make government's policies available to the public.

He noted that on assumption of office most of the state-owned enterprises were bankrupt but the NPP government had revived them to discharge their mandate.

Mr. Boateng said governent will feed Ghanaians with information to make them part of the governance process.

The Minister for Information, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah said government has a social contract with Ghanaians and will engage them and listen to their concerns for feedback.